Cutter attachment for pencils.



Patented May 29, I900.

w. H. PITT. CUTTER ATTACHMENT FOR PENCILS.

(Application filed Nov. 2, 1899.)

Fig ,1

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT ()EETCE.

WILLIAM Il. PITT, OF BUFFALO, NE? YORK.

CUTTER ATTACHMENT FOR PENCILS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent Ila 650,545, dated May 29, 1900.

Application filed November 2,1899. Serial No. 735,577. (No model.)

To all whom it nmy concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM H. PITT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gutter Attachments for Pencils, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a cutter for opening envelops, cutting theleaves of books, and for other purposes and which is adapted to be attached to a pencil, penholder, or similar handle.

The object of my invention is the production of a convenient cutter of this kind which is not liable to injure the hands or catch on the pocket when closed and which can be manufactured at small cost.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an enlarged side elevation of a pencil pro,- vided with my cutting attachment. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the attachment, showing the.

Fig. 4 is a similar see- Fig. 5 is a cross- Fig. 6 is a similar cutting-blade closed. tion showing the blade open. section in line 5 5, Fig. 3. section in line 6 6, Fig. 4.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A is a pencil or similar handle to which my improved cutter attachment is applied. This handle is provided in one side with a longitudinal groove or recess 17, which extends inwardly from the rear end thereof.

0 is a tube or cylindrical casing surrounding the grooved portion of the pencil or handle and closed at its outer end by a plug d, consisting, preferably, of a block of soft indiarubber, so as to serve as an eraser. The casing 0 is provided with a longitudinal slot or slit e, which coincides with the groove 11 of the handle.

F is a longitudinal knife or cutting-blade arranged in the groove 1) of the handle and the slot e of the casing O and adapted to recede into said slot and groove when not in use, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, or to project through the slot of the casing when the same is to be used, as shown in Fig. 4. This blade is pivoted within the groove 1) by any suitable means, so that the same is capable of swing ing into either of the above-described positions. The preferred means of fulcruming the blade (shown in the drawings) consists of a cross-bar g, formed integral with the easing 0 and bridging the inner portion of the slot 6 and fitting closely into a curved notch or recess h, formed in the back of the bladeshank, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. The portion of the blade opposite its I fulcrumnotch 71 is rounded and bears against the bottom of the handle-groove b, whereby the blade is retained in engagement with the cross-bar g. The blade is preferably pointed, and its cutting edge is formed at its inner edge and extends inwardly nearly to its fulcrum. The shank of the blade extends rearwardly be yond its fulcrum to form an arm j, which latter is stepped on its inner side to form front and rear stops or shoulders jj Kis a lock or catch which is adapted to interlock with the arm j of the blade for retaining the same in its closed position. This catch preferably consists of a sliding pawl or button which is guided in the slot 6 of the casing and which is provided at its outer end with a head 70, of greater width than the slot e, so as to confine the button against inward displacement. This locking-button is provided with a forwardly-extendinglip k,which is adapted to engage under one or the other of the shoulders j j of the blade F. hen

this lip is engaged with the rear shoulder 7' it acts as a stop which limits the opening movement of the blade, as shown in Fig. 4, while when the lip is engaged with the front shoulder j it looks the blade in its closed position, as shown in Fig. 3. The inner end of the pencil-groove 1) forms a shoulder which limits the rearward movement of the sliding button K, and this shoulder is so located that when the button abuts against the same, as shown in Fig. 4, the lip of the button engages with the rear shoulder j of the blade. The exposed head of the button is preferably milled or serrated to aiford a better grippingsurface for shifting the same.

L is a spring which tends to swing the blade into its open position when released from its locking-catch K and which also assists in holding the notched blade in engagement with the fulcrum-bar g. In the construction shown in the drawings a wire spring is employed, which is arranged lengthwise in the groove of the pencil or handle A and which bears at its free end against the front edge of the blade F near its fulcrum, so as to have atendency to move the blade outwardly. The opposite end of the spring is formed with an approximately U-shaped bend Z, arranged substantially at right angles to the body of the spring and confined between the bottom of the pencil-groove Z2 and the inner side of the surrounding casing O. The extremity Z of the bend Z is confined between the inner end of the plug or rubber block (1 and the adjacent end of the pencil. When the cuttingblade is locked in its closed position, the spring L is strained, andupon withdrawing the sliding button K out of engagement with the shouldered arm j of the blade the latter is thrown to its open position by the reaction of thespring. In this position of the blade its cutting edge is arranged obliquely or at an acute angle to the pencil or other handle A, enabling the same to be conveniently run along the fold of an envelop for opening it or between the leaves of a book or magazine for cutting the same. The stopj of the blade limits the openingmovement of the blade beyond thisoblique position by coming in contact with the sliding button K, as shown in Fig. 4. When it is desired to close the blade, the same is pressed into the groove of the pencil and the sliding button K shifted forwardly, so as to interlock with the front shoulderj of the blade, as shown in Fig. 3. When the blade is closed, its point is flush with or below the surface of'the inclosing casing A, preventing the same from injuring the hand or catching on the pocket in which the pencil is carried.

In assembling the parts of the cutter attachmentthe is blade first inserted in the easing and engaged with the fulcrum-bar g, and the sliding button K is placed in the slot of the casing from the inner end thereof, after which the casing is slipped over the grooved endof the pencil and the spring K and the plug or block d are put in place.-

The cutting-blade canbe cheaply stamped from sheet metal and then sharpened. As

the blade is fulcrumed in the casing U with out the use of a rivet or other separate pin and its opening spring K is held in placewithout soldering, rivets, or other separate fastenings,the attachment is very simple in construction and the parts can be readily assembled, thereby rendering its cost of manu facture correspondingly small.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with a handle having a longitudinal groove, of a tube or casing surrounding the handle and provided with a longitudinal slot which registers with said groove and an integral cross bar which bridges said slot, a cutting-blade arranged in the groove of the handle and provided 'in its back with a fulcrum-notch which interlocks with said cross-bar, and a spring which bears against the front edge of said blade adjacent to its fulcrum, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a handle having alongitudinal groove, of a tube or casing surrounding the handle and provided with a longitudinal slot which registers with said groove, a pivoted cutting-blade arranged in said groove, a plug inserted in the end of said casing, and a spring arranged in said groove and hearing at its free end againstthe blade and having its opposite end bent to anangle to the body of the spring, and confined between said plug and the adjacent end of the handle, substantially as set forth.

3. The combinationwith a handle having a longitudinal groove, of a cutting-blade pivoted in said groove and provided in rear of its fulcrum with astep'ped arm forming front and rear locking-shoulders, and a sliding pawl or button guided in the slot of the easing and adapted to interlock with one or the other of said shoulders, substantiallyas set forth.

WVitness my hand this 28th'day of October, 1899.

. M. H. PITT. Witnesses:

JNo. J. BONNER, CLAUDIA M. BENTLESQ. 

